01-12-2004, 12:26 PM
No, I don't think you should force them on anyone, but the game should be cutting down on the high sticking, big time!
There is no reason to have your stick above the shoulder, ever. There is really no need to have your stick very far above the waist for that matter. When I watch a hockey game now, all I notice is guys skating around the ice with their sticks up in the air. Even a guy chasing down an iced puck, with no one else around (thank God), has his stick pointing straight up. Why? I played hockey for many years, there's no reason. Everytime two guys collide, one hand comes off the stick, and they're both pointing straight up. Why is it always up? It's not just my imagination. It's time to keep the sticks down.
In my mind, it's time to change the rules, and give a penalty everytime a stick comes above the shoulder. Whether it hits someone or not. Whether anyone is even nearby or not. When someone does get hit, whether it was clearly an accident or not. It's easy to keep control of your stick, and the players should be reminded to do so.
Even with the current rules, the officials need to smarten up. There are way too many non-calls every night. 4 officials (yes, linesmen can call stick infractions), and they all miss it? I don't buy it. What's the reprecussion for an official that misses too many of these calls? Hockey needs to crack down on this. It's getting way to dangerous.
There is no reason to have your stick above the shoulder, ever. There is really no need to have your stick very far above the waist for that matter. When I watch a hockey game now, all I notice is guys skating around the ice with their sticks up in the air. Even a guy chasing down an iced puck, with no one else around (thank God), has his stick pointing straight up. Why? I played hockey for many years, there's no reason. Everytime two guys collide, one hand comes off the stick, and they're both pointing straight up. Why is it always up? It's not just my imagination. It's time to keep the sticks down.
In my mind, it's time to change the rules, and give a penalty everytime a stick comes above the shoulder. Whether it hits someone or not. Whether anyone is even nearby or not. When someone does get hit, whether it was clearly an accident or not. It's easy to keep control of your stick, and the players should be reminded to do so.
Even with the current rules, the officials need to smarten up. There are way too many non-calls every night. 4 officials (yes, linesmen can call stick infractions), and they all miss it? I don't buy it. What's the reprecussion for an official that misses too many of these calls? Hockey needs to crack down on this. It's getting way to dangerous.